Cardiac cachexia is a devastating end-of-life condition that consumes its victims, especially elderly adults. The pulmonary edema (water) of congestive heart failure (CHF) leads to shortness of breath (wind) and functional limitation, which is followed by an inability to acquire adequate sustenance through a lack of gastronomic drive (earth) while an unchecked catabolism burns scarce caloric resources (fire). This malady involves body tissue wasting, weight loss, anorexia, and weakness in combination. Individuals with other conditions may also experience cachexia,1 but our work in the cardiovascular critical care service produces a keen sense of urgency when we are asked to intervene.
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